Bringing Integrity to the Written Word

ROAD TRIP …

ROAD TRIP

I have returned from four days on the road with the Good Doctor, and am happy to report that we both survived and there was no gnashing of teeth of temper tantrums. As travel partners go, we’re quite compatible, especially when it came to barricading the door and sleeping with one eye open at the No Tell Motel that came with complimentary blood spatters on the bathroom wall. That may have been mostly my fault since I booked that particular room, but he was a very good sport and was only halfway serious about us being eaten by someone/something in the middle of the night.

But the stars were incredible…

Our whirlwind tour began with a hike to the amazing “Hanging Lake,” which literally was a lake in the sky, with water rushing over the edges and waterfalls that spouted out of the mountainside. The hike was a little strenuous but refreshing, until I was assaulted by a yellow jacket on the way down the mountain. He landed a solid sting on my shoulder, then embedded himself in my hair, which left me flailing my arms and jumping around until he finally dislodged. Turns out I’m not allergic, and a little baking soda paste and some TLC at the next stop helped take the sting out of my bite.

The Good Doctor tour led us to K’s house, where we spent the evening gossiping, discussing hair products and a random nipping by the dying dog. Next stop was my parents’ camp site, where we chatted as every chipmunk and bird in the forest came around looking for food. The chipmunks are very entitled, and before long they were climbing up our legs and standing on our shoulders begging to be fed. The parental meeting went well, I think, we parted with hugs and the intention of going to search for treasure.

We didn’t find the treasure, so we headed out to Steamboat Springs, where we met an interesting young man named Zack, a troll, and ran across that scariest neon motel sign in history at The Rabbit Ears Inn. We ate dinner and played some pool (I technically won, finally) at a local pub, with two little pool elves in the shape of young children, who removed the 8 ball and replaced it with an angry bird. I indulged in some trash t.v. once back at the Rabbit Ears, and we were up early the next forming for the final leg of our journey.

Which took us to a beautiful place called the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya. After hiking through the brush and trees for a bit, the trees open to a clearing, where the Stupa took my breath away when I first saw it. In the middle of the woods, its intricately decorated with columns, pillars, paintings and carvings, with a great Buddha sitting on top of it. The inside was just as breathtaking, and we sat in a state of meditation for a while, and I marveled at the beautiful designs in the marble floor, as well as the carvings that covered every pillar and corner. It was beautiful and relaxing, and a great way to end our road trip.